Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
Earlier this week I heard the news that long time Deep Purple keyboardist Jon Lord had passed away. It’s been over forty summers since Purple released “Smoke on the Water.” The song literally bred guitar players for two generations. Let’s face it, these heavy cats cast a darker shade over what were previously summers of love.
Purple was the sound of teen delinquency—a sometimes violent mix of J.R.R. Tolkien, acid, pills, and weed. These blokes, with their heavy riffs and black jeans, unknowingly created a soundtrack that paved the way for punk.
Speaking of paving the way for punk, last night while cutting this week’s show, I read about the closing of Bleecker Bob’s Record Store. I sat stunned watching the 30 minute documentary online. What can I say about one of the very places where I literally discovered rock ‘n roll?
I guess what it boils down to is music culture. It really is an end of one era and a beginning of another. Personally, I’m gonna enjoy both—and that’s what this week’s hour of music is about.
One sarcastic “Bob employee” asked when was the last time you bought a record there at Bob’s? Well, it’s been over 20 years, but I do have a Clash poster on my wall I bought from Bob in 1977. It’s one of my cherished possessions.
Bob, Jon Lord, burn on!
The Idelic Hit of the Week:
KO KO – Float
